Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S 29,765, Aaron Dresser, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Dresser, Aaron.
S 29.765
CONTENTS

4061
Maine
Aaron Dresser
of Cape Elizabeth in the State of Maine who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Poole of the Regt commanded by Col Wadsworth in the Massachu- setts line for 9 mo
Inscribed on the Roll of Maine
at the rate of 30 Dollars — Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 10 day of Jan'y 1833 and sent to Hon. J Anderson House of Reps
Arrears to 4th of Sept. 1832 $ 4 50 Semi-annual allowance ending March 1833. 1 50
$ 6 00
{ Revolutionary Claim, { Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by E.D. Bullock Clerk Book D Vol. 1 st Page 54

Aaron Dreyer
8986
admit
9 th
1930
San J. Badenon
Ad/B

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
MAINE DISTRICT SS.
At a Special District Court of the United States begun and held at Portland, within and for said District, on the twenty first day of August A. D. eighteen hundred and thirty- two before the Honorable ASHUR WARE, Judge of said Court.
On this twenty first day of August aforesaid, personally appeared in open Court before said District Judge Aaron Dresser a resident of Cape Elizabeth in the county of Cambridge in said Maine District, aged seventy four years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832. That he
enlisted as a soldier in the Revolution war at Cape Ann in the County of Essex State of Massachusetts at Sandy Bay Parish in August 1778 under Capt Mark Boole of said Parish for three months. was marched to Providence Rhode Island there joined Col. Wadsworth's Regt & marched to Bristol then served out the two months doing guard duty & scouting parties & was honorably discharged in return, which discharge was burnt with his dwelling house about fourteen years ago. That about August 1778 he again enlisted at said Cape Ann under the same Capt Mark Boole for five months & marched to Boston & then joined a Regt but the name of the Colonel he has forgotten was marched to New York & served out the time in the vicinity of the City of New York in marching & counter marching & scouting from place to place but his memory is so shattered that he has forgotten names, he was discharged in the following winter & is confident he had a written discharge which was destroyed with his house as before stated. He again enlisted in summer of 1778 he thinks in July under the same Capt Mark Boole for three months was marched for Rhode Island & went to the North East part of the Island & arrived there a few days before the great gale which induced the French fleet to put to sea from New Port. There were about nine hundred men, but the commander's name he does not remember. That he was in a hard battle with the British, about three or four weeks after some gale, which was kept up nearly all day each side alternately retreating & the same night he left the Island with the rest of the troops Gen Sullivan being now remembered had commanded. He remembers Mr. Mansfield was with him. He was born at Sandy Bay Parish at said Cape Ann on the 12th of March 1758. In 1784 moved to Danville in Maine & then lived until about fifteen years ago when he was burnt out & removed to said Cape Elizabeth where he has not since resided. He has no record of his age
he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on any pension roll of any agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of the agency in the State of
Aaron Dresser
Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid. Before
Ashur Ware
U. S. Judge for the District of Maine.

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatives prescribed by the War Department) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states
I, John Nussey Clerk of the District Court of the United States for Maine District, do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Aaron Dresser for a pension.
and that John Anderson Esquire who took the annexed depositions of Elisha Jordan, Nathaniel Wheeler and Michael Hanson , is a Justice of the Peace duly qualified and that his official attestations are entitled to full faith and credit
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court, on this nineteenth day of September A. D. one thousand eight hundred and thirty- two
John Nussey
{ Clerk of the U. States District Court for Maine District.

I Michael Watson a clergyman residing in Cape Elizabeth in the County of Cumberland State of Maine do hereby in faith certify that I am well acquainted with the author named Aaron Dufresne. That I believe him to be upwards of Seventy years old. & that he is respected & believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier in the Revolutionary war as he states & I concur in that opinion. Michael Watson
Cumberland Feb 18 th 1832
Subscribed & sworn to before me & I certify that the said Michael Watson is a clergyman as he states & a man of truth when Charles Preston

29 765 INVALID.
No. 29,765-
Aaron Dresser
Rev Rev War
Act: June 7 a 32 nd
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 114
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Aaron Streifer
6. 13. 15
P 196
Hon J Audubon
Ref R

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Aaron Brefer which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so? IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? V. * Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? Not satisfactory. He states several, but that he means all is not clear. VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal?

XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service?
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had?
It does not appear whether there are survivors or not of his service as the claimant states his recollection to be impaired other proof besides his declaration should be produced  XIV. † If the applicant has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility?
Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office?
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service?
The witnesses do not state any such knowledge
XVI. ‡ Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
* QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
“Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades: For _____ year _____ months and _____ days, I served as a _____. For _____ months and _____ days, I served as a _____; and for such service I claim a pension.”

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which the applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable.
QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticated the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the end of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
He has complied with the Reg's regulation & furnished all the evidence in his power.

I Elisha Jordan of Cape Elizabeth in the County of Cumberland & State of Maine aged seventy one years do hereby certify that I have been acquainted with Aaron Dyer now of said Cape Elizabeth for more than twenty years & I believe him to be upwards of seventy years old & he is respected & generally believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier in the Revolution. I further say that the character of said Dyer has ever been good for truth & in all respects so far as I have ever known him -
Elisha Jordan
Cumberland / August 22 nd 1832
Subscribed & sworn to before me John A. Dyer justice of Peace
I further certify that said Jordan is a man of truth & his statements entitled to full credence
John A. Dyer justice of Peace

I Nathan Wheeler of Cape Elizabeth in the County of Cumberland State of Maine do hereby certify & say that I have been acquainted with Aaron Dyer now of said Cape Elizabeth for more than thirty years & know that he is reported & believed to have been a soldier in the Revolutionary War. That it is generally reported & believed that he was in several engagements with the enemy in the Revolution & that he served twice at Rhode Island & once at New York & that he was a courageous, spirited & faithful soldier. I further say that he has ever maintained an unblemished character for sobriety, honesty & truth.
I further say his mind & memory is greatly impaired of late years more so than the generality of men of his years - And from my knowledge of the man & his character from his statements of historical facts of the events of the Revolution & of the country through which he marched as a soldier in the Revolution, years before he could have had an expectation of any pension, as well as from the general report of his services I fully believe he served all the time he has stated in his declaration this day made & further believe he was in several engagements which he has now forgotten.
I also say that I believe he is as old as he has stated & I know his house at Danville

was here I think about sixteen years ago & all his furniture & effects were here with it & a contribution of bedding & clothing & provisions was made for him & his family.
Nathan Wheeler
Cumberland Is August 21 st 1832 prior to before me John Bradburn just of Peace
I hereby certify that Nathan's Wheeler Esq. above signed is an gentleman whose statements are entitled to full credit
John Bradburn justice of the Peace